Students create anti high-risk drinking campaign

An assignment in an advertising class turned into NDSU’s official message about student alcohol consumption. “Before One More,” NDSU’s anti high-risk drinking campaign, was created by students for students in spring 2010.

The purpose of the campaign is to reduce the negative effects of alcohol consumption by helping students understand when one drink is one too many and by teaching them how to make low-risk drinking decisions, said Erika Beseler Thompson, assistant director for alcohol and other drug prevention at NDSU.

“For students younger than 21, one is one too many,” Beseler Thompson said. “For students who choose to drink, it is important to know how to do it without harming themselves or others around them.”

Immersive learning

The “Before One More” campaign was created in assistant professor of communication Elizabeth Crawford’s advertising practicum course at NDSU. The assignment was to develop a campaign to address college-age drinking and to find a local client for the campaign.

Students presented the campaign to the President’s Council on Alcohol and Other Drugs (PCAOD). PCAOD, which includes faculty, staff and student representatives, is charged with reducing the harmful effects of alcohol and other drug misuse for students and for NDSU.

“The response from council members was that the approach is one college students can relate to because it is about individual decision making,” Beseler Thompson said. The “Before One More” campaign was implemented for the 2010-2011 academic year.

Battle of the Ads video contest

Now “Before One More” is looking for its next video ad by sponsoring a “Battle of the Ads” video contest. Students are invited to submit a one-minute video using “Before One More” messages for a chance to win $400 in Bison Bucks. The winner’s video will be shown at halftime of the Jan. 21 NDSU vs. South Dakota State University men’s basketball game. The second place entry will win $150 in Bison Bucks, and the third place entry will win $50 in Bison Bucks.